Christian j



air Lamar (No Model.)

0; J. TOERRING. Jr. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.-

No. 585,603. Patented June 29,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN J. TOERRING, JR, OF \VASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,603, dated June 29,1897.

Application filed January 2, 1896. Serial No. 574,147. (No model.)

To 117/ whom it 17mm concern;

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN J. TOERRING, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at \Vashington, in the county of lVashington and Stateof Pennsylvania, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of electrio-arc lamps in which thearc is inclosed by a light-transmitting casing in order to prevent afree communication of the air therewith and so prolong the life of thecarbons.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a cheap, reliable,and efficient feeding mechanism for the positive or upper carbon;secondly, to provide means whereby the life of the carbons can begreatly lengthened and thus do away with frequent and expensiverenewals; thirdly, to provide a device to permit free movement of theupper carbon through the opening in the arc-inolosing globe.

The other objects and advantages of my invention will more clearlyappear from the following specification taken in connection with theaccompanying draWings,-and the scope of my invention will be moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of thelamp and its appurtenances. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism andframe of the lamp. Figs. 3 and 4 are the plan and elevation,respectively, of the clutch mechanism used in feeding the upper carbon.Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the arc-inclosing cylinder and its holder.Fig. 6 is a diagram of the circuit of the lamp.

My improved lamp is intended for use on constant-potential circuits, butthe various features of my lamp are not limited to use in thisconnection, but may be employed for such purposes and in such manner asmay seem desirable without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be evident from the following description that the severaldevices set forth may, if desired, be applied to any arc-lamp, whetherfed by a constant current or from a constant-potential circuit.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the frame of the lampis formed in one piece 13 9 10, the lower portion 9 being a flat disk.From the disk 9 rises a pair of vertical supports 10 10, joined togetherat the top by a horizontal cross-piece 13, which supports a pair ofsolenoids 11 1.2. These solenoids may be secured to the cross-piece 13in any suitable manner, preferably by screws, or may be screwed to ayoke, which in turn is fastened to the cross-piece 13. The cross piece13 is provided with an opening 2, through which projects the rod 11,carrying the upper carbon. This rod is inclosed as to its upper portionby a protecting-casing 15, which is joined to the cross-piece 13 by ascrew connection 3.

The solenoids 11 12 actuate cores 16 17, which are adapted to slideloosely therein and are joined rigidly together at the bottom by anarmature 18. Violent fluctuations in the movement of the armature areprevented by means of the dash-pots 19 20, which are operativelyconnected with the armature 18 by rods 4 and 44:. These dash-pots aresuitably supported from the cross-piece 13 and may be of any appropriateconstruction. A detailed description of the dash pots is deemedunnecessary.

On the bottom of the yoke-piece 18 are fastened two blocks 21 22, whichsupport the four arms of the clutch shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This clutch,which is used in feeding the upper carbon, is provided with two shoes 2324, which are suitably grooved to fit the rod 14:. These shoes areconnected with the blocks 21 22 by means of four overlapping arms orlinks 25 26 27 28. Each of the shoes is connected with that block whichlies on the opposite side of the rod 14: therefrom by means of two ofthe four links aforesaid. shouldered screws 29 to 3% are used as pivotsfor the links, except Where the links 25 27 are pivoted to the shoe 2%,in which case the projecting ends of a pin 35, firmly fastened in theshoe 24, act as pivots. The ends of the pin 35 project into holes orhearings in the links 25 27 and are flush with the outside portions ofthe said links, so as .to allow the other links 26 28 to slide over theends of the pin 35.

Supports located immediately beneath the blocks 21 22 may be provided,if desired, in

order to relieve the clutch mechanism of the weight of the armature whenthe solenoids are inactive.

The shoes 23 21, through their pivotal connection with the links 25 2027 28, are thus always capable of remaining with their working facesparallel whatever be the movements of the links themselves. Since theends of the links overlap each other, it will be seen that when theshoes move away from a line joining the pivotal support of the links onthe blocks 21 22 they move in arcs of circles which tend to intersecteach other, and as a consequence the shoes tend to approach each otherand thus grip the rod 1st. lVhen the rod 11 and the armature 18 moverelatively to each other, so as to cause the shoes of the clutch to moveaway from the armature 18, the friction of the working faces of theshoes on the rod 11 causes the shoes to move away from the armature 18,and so to approach each other and thus to grip the rod 14: more firmlyyet. An upward movement of the armature 18, for example, would firstcause the shoes to approach each other and grip the rod Li, and acontinuation of the movement of the said armature would result in aconcurrent movement of the rod 14: therewith. The rod 11 would remainsuspended by the clutch until released by a separation of the shoes 9324, which would happen when the armature 18 descends sufficiently toallow the shoes to rest on the bushing if). A brush -l-8 bears againstthe rod 14:, forming a good contact for the passing of the current.

The operation of the feeding mechanism is as follows: Upon closing thecircuit the current passes in series through the solenoids and throughthe carbons, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6. A resistance (notshown) is placed in this circuit, so as to prevent a short circuit and aconsequent burning out of the lamp before the feeding mechanism has hadan opportunity to act. The current passing through the solenoids 11 12causes the cores to be attracted and the armature 18 to rise. \Vhen thearmature is lifted, the weight of the clutch causes the shoes 23 2t toapproach each other and to grip the rod 14. The friction between theshoes and the rod tends to cause a still greater movement of the shoesaway from the armature 18, and the shoes obtain a still firmer hold onthe carbonfeeding rod. The weight of the carbon-feeding rod thus reactsto increase the friction of the shoes until the friction becomessufficient to overbalance the weight of the said rod, which then risesor falls in accordance with the movement of the armature 18 until thisrelation is disturbed by a separation of the clutch-shoes, due to asutlicient downward movement of the armature to cause the shoes to reston the bushing-19. The current passing through the solenoids thus causesthe carbon-fcedin g rod to rise and spring the are. The are having beensprung, its length is regulated by the current passing through thesolenoids, which are so proportioned that with the desired length of arcthe current passing therethrough is of such value as to cause thesolenoids to exert an attractive force upon their cores of a valueexactly sufficient to balance the weight of the cores, armature, clutch,and parts supported thereby. As the carbons burn away the are lengthens,the current decreases, the balance is disturbed, and the armaturedescends until the arc has been shortened sutticiently to cause anincrease of the current to its normal value. This increase in currentimmediately checks any further downward movement of the upper carbon,which then remains stationary until furtherconsumption thereof at thearc causes these operations to be repeated. As the carbons are consumedthe armature 1S slowly drops until the shoes 23 2t rest upon the bushing4-9, which causes them to spread and allows the carbon-holdin g rod toslip, after which the armature 18 is again attracted and the action isrepeated. The dash-pots 19 20 cause aslow and even movement of thearmature 18 and its attachments, and thus insure an even feeding of thecarbons and effectually prevents what is known as pumping, a fault whichconsists in a violent reciprocating movement of the upper or positivecarbon.

The second portion of my invention relates to means forincreasing thelife of the carbons; and it consists in a pcculiarly-constructcd glo 'orinclosing the arc.

. In arc-lamps of the type in which the air is partially excluded fromcontact with the are I have found that the positive carbon loses adefinite amount of carbon dependent on the (B R loss in the are; also,that by increasing the temperature of the are its ohmic resistance (asdistinguished from its apparent resistance) is diminished. Hence anincreased temperature, by descreasin g the ohmic resistance, causes adecrease in the amount of carbon lost by the positive carbon.

The amount of carbon deposited from the positive carbon on the negative,supposing the amount of carbon liberated per second from the positiveconstant, is dependent upon the length of arc. By shortening the arc thelife is increased. The deposit of carbon from the positive on thenegative is increased, and this deposit is very nearly sufficient tobuild up the negative carbon as fast as it is consumed, it beingunderstood, of course, that in an inclosed arc the consumption of thecarbons is much slower than in the ordinary form of arc lamp, in whichthe arc is in free communication with the air. If the arc is long, alarger amount of carbon will be thrown ot't' from the positive withoutbeing caught by the negative. Now with a given difference of potentialof the arc the length of the are is shortened if its apparent resistancebe first caused to increase by increasing the tempera ture of thesurrounding inert gases. These experimentally-discovered facts indicatea means for increasing the life of both the positive and the negativecarbon. This means consists in raising the temperature of the gaseswithin the arc-inclosing cylinder in some suitable manner. This I do byforming the arc-inclosing cylinder of a light-conducting portion and ofa heat-retaining portion. The cylinder is at the same time made of assmall size as convenient in order to red uce the radiating-surface.

In Figs. 1 and 5 I have shown a concrete embodiment of this part of myinvention, but it will be understood that I do not limit myself to theparticular details of construction therein shown. The arc-inclosingcylinder is made of two parts 36 and 37. The upper part 36 is made ofany suitable substance which is a poor conductor of heat, preferablyporcelain, and of a thickness suflicient to prevent any considerableescape of heat therethrough. The part 37 of the cylinder is made of atransparent or translucent substance, preferably glass.

. The connection between the parts 36 and 37 made by a joint 88, whichis not air-tight. The hole in the heat-retaining portion of the cylinderclosely fits the carbon, and the peculiar inside contour of this portionof the cylinder aids the convection-currents in the cylinder in stillfurther keeping out air from above; but as it is necessary that adefinite amount of air should enter the cylinder in order to prevent acoating of carbon on the inner surface of the cylinder, which coating isdue to small particles of carbon emanating from the are and carbonpoints, I allow a limited entrance of air at a point best suited toprevent such a coatingviz., at the joint 38.

The peculiar construction of the upper part of the cylinder limits theamount of air entering at the top very largely, because theconvection-currents in the cylinderflow counter to that of any air thatmight enter through the opening in the upper part of the cylinder. Forthis reason it is desirable to have a certain amount of air enter at theside, producing at the same time a more efficient light by adding at theplace where it will do the most good the heat due to chemicalcombination of the oxygen of the air admitted with the partieles ofcarbon thrown off by the arc. This construction has the furtheradvantage of giving freer access to the inside of the cylinder for thepurpose of cleaning.

The arc-inclosing cylinder is supported by a holder 39, the lowerportion of the cylinder 37 being set therein and forming a joint 5therewith. This joint may be either air-tight or nearly so, as may bedesired. The holder 30 has an opening 6 for the insertion of thenegative carbon.

The lower portion of the holder 39 is made in the form of a ball, whichforms one part of a universal joint at). This joint permits the cylinderto move so as to accommodate itself automatically to the crookedness orirregularities in the contour of the positive or up per carbon.Shoulders 7 on the socket-piece allow but a limited movement of theglobe, and so hold it in an approximately upright position when theupper carbon is removed during the operation of trimming. Thesocket-piece of the universal joint is rigidly held in thenegative-holder 41 of the lamp, this holder being supported by thedepending rods 42 43. The globe-holder 39 and the lower part of theuniversal joint '7 are electrically connected by a wire 8, so as not tobe dependent upon the contact between the surfaces of the members of theuniversal joint, these surfaces being liable to oxidation.

It is evident that many changes may be made in the construction I haveshown without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I thereforedesire it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise formswhich I have shown; but

\Vhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In an electric-arc lamp, the combination with an arc-inclosing globe,a mounting for the same permitting lateral movement of the upper end ofthe globe, and a cover havinga hole for the passage of the upper carbon,substantially as described.

2. In an electric-arc lamp, the combination with an arc-inclosing globe,a universallymounted globe-support therefor, and a cover having a holefor the passage of the feeding carbon, substantially as described.

3. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of a feeding-rod, anarmature, oppositelydisposed shoes adapted to grip said feedingrod, eachshoe having a link connection with said armature, one end of said linkconnection being pivoted to said shoe and the other to said armature,substantially as described.

at. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of a feeding-rod, anarmature, oppositelydisposed shoes adapted to grip said feedingrod, eachshoe having a separate link connec tion with said armature, one end ofsaid link connection being pivoted to said shoe and the other to saidarmature, said link connections overlapping, substantially as described.

5. In an arc-inclosing envelop, the combination of a light-transmittingpart and a heatretaining part, the parts being connected by aninterlocking join t, substantially as described.

6. An arc-inclosing envelop composed of a light-transmitting part and aheat-retaining part, the two parts being of such relative proportions asto cause a considerable rise in temperature of the electrodes when thelamp is in operation, substantially as described.

'7. An arc-inclosing envelop composed of a light-transmittin g part anda heat-retaining part, the heat-retaining part being made of a poorerconductor of heat than the light-transmitting part and also of greaterthickness, substantially as described.

IIO

8. An arc-inclosing envelop composed of two parts, one of said partsbeing of glass and the other of porcelain, said envelop being adapted tomaintain the gases surrounding the arc at a high temperature,substantially as described.

9. An arc-inclosing envelop composed of a heat-retaining part and alight-transmitting part, said heat-retaining part being made of a poorerconductor of heat than the light-transmitting part, the whole operatingto maintain the gases surrounding the are at a high temperature,substantially as described.

10. The combination of the positive and negative electrodes of anarc-lamp, an inclosing envelop forsaid electrodes and a support for saidenvelop, part of said support forming one element of a universal joint,substantially as described.

11. In an electric-arc lamp, the combination of electrodes, anarc-inclosin g envelop in movable relation to one of said electrodes,and a support for said envelop, said support allowing said envelop toautomatically adjust itself to compensate for irregularities in contourof said electrode, substantially as described.

12. In an electric-arc lamp, the combination of electrodes, anarc-inclosing envelop, and a support for said envelop normallypermitting universal movement thereof, substantially as described.

13. In an electric-arc lamp, the combination of electrodes, anaroinclosing envelop, a support for said envelop normally permittinguniversal movement thereof, and means for limiting the range of saiduniversal movement, substantially as described.

14. In an electric-arc lamp the combination of the electrodes and anarc-inclosing envelop, said arc-inclosing envelop being provided withair-inlets between its top and bottom, substantially as described.

15. The combination of the electrodes of an electric-arc lamp and anarc-inclosing envelop therefor, said envelop being made in tworeadily-separable parts, the joint between said parts being locatedbetween the top and bottom of said envelop, said joint adapted to allowthe admission of a limited amount of air to the interior of the envelop,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand this 26th day of December, 1895.

CHRISTIAN J. TOERRING, JR.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. STERRETT, LIZZIE B. MCCONAUGHY.

